Flower swipe at Australia as Trott quits Ashes tour November 25, 2013 ENGLAND team director Andy Flower took a swipe at Australia yesterday after batsman Jonathan Trott quit the tourists’ Ashes squad and flew home due to a stress-related illness. Flower insisted that derogatory comments from Australia’s David Warner had not contributed to Trott’s decision to abandon the series after just one match, but made plain his [...]
Arsenal on knife edge but won’t sign Henry November 25, 2013 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has urged his team to ignore a possible nightmare scenario and seize their chance of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stage tonight. A win at home to Marseille would leave the Gunners on 12 points – usually enough to sweep into the last 16, yet a tally that could still [...]
Mourinho bids to ease packed winter period November 25, 2013 CHELSEA manager Jose Mourinho admits he has missed English football’s traditionally packed winter schedule, but hopes to reduce the strain on his team with victory against FC Basel tonight to seal qualification to the Champions League knockout stages and top spot in Group E. A draw at St Jakob-Park would be enough for Mourinho’s side [...]
Clarke fined but Lehmann wants sledging to stay November 25, 2013 AUSTRALIA captain Michael Clarke has been fined 20 per cent of his match fee for an X-rated sledge towards England fast bowler James Anderson during the first Ashes Test at Brisbane. As Anderson prepared to face the bowling of seamer Mitchell Johnson, he was told by Clarke “get ready for a broken f***ing arm”. The [...]
Cricket Comment: Bring in Bairstow and bump Root up the order November 25, 2013 I WAS not as surprised as some when I heard that Jonathan Trott was leaving the England Ashes squad because of a stress-related illness. He is a complex character and has always been his own man. His performance in the first Test was not one of a man in the right mindset. In the second [...]
English football going German and embracing fan ownership November 25, 2013 ENGLISH football is set for a steep rise in the number of clubs adopting fan-owned structures, according to a new study. Teams in financial difficulties are particularly likely to turn to the community interest company (CIC) model, report insolvency experts Begbies Traynor. Darlington, Eastbourne and Scottish side Stenhousemuir are among those to embrace increased supporter [...]
Froch-Groves ref backed by board November 25, 2013 THE CONTENTIOUS call to stop Carl Froch and George Groves’ super-middleweight world title fight in the ninth round on Saturday has been backed by the British Boxing Board of Control. Referee Howard Foster came under fire after his decision to intervene and award Froch the win, despite Groves seemingly being ahead in the contest. But [...]
Rio needs Olympic finalists’ work ethic to deliver Games on time November 25, 2013 WORKERS must treat each day like they are competing in an Olympic final if Rio is to deliver the 2016 Games on time, the president of its organising committee has warned. Delays to building and infrastructure work have created doubt as to whether the city – also set to host next summer’s football World Cup [...]
Eagles can soar after survival, says boss Pulis November 25, 2013 NEW Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis insists his ambitions lie beyond securing Premier League safety this season. The former Stoke manager has signed a two-and-a-half year contract and takes charge of his first match away to Norwich on Saturday. Palace currently sit second from bottom, three points adrift of safety and hope Pulis can maintain [...]
Golf Comment: Race to Dubai schedule is a thorny issue for Tour November 25, 2013 THE DUST has settled on the Race to Dubai but debate rages on over the format of the climax to the European Tour season. Some players object to rules stipulating they can only play in the lucrative DP World Tour Championship if they have taken part in two of the three final series events that [...]